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enGombau grateful for Adelaides nine-day breakAdelaide United coach Josep Gombau is grateful for his sides upcoming nine-day break after coming away with a bruising 3-1 win over Sydney FC.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/gombau-grateful-adelaides-nine-day-break
The long turnaround gives the Reds ample time to nurse several sore spots ahead of next Sunday's encounter with Wellington Phoenix at Westpac Stadium.
After in-form Osama Malik (groin) pulled out before the Sky Blues clash, fellow centre-back Jon McKain sustained a hip flexor injury during the game and was substituted out just before half-time.
Tarek Elrich and Sergio Cirio finished the spiteful contest worse for wear, while Marcelo Carrusca was repeatedly knocked around by a Sydney outfit which conceded 13 first-half fouls and 19 overall to go with five yellow cards in a physical, ill-tempered display.
"We are lucky that we play on Sunday," Gombau said.
"We have nine days which is the most time you can have in A-League.
"With these nine days I hope and wish we can recover some players and be ready to play next week in NZ."
While the extended break couldn't have come at a better time for Adelaide, Gombau conceded he is 'worried' at the mounting injury toll.
"Today was a difficult day for us because a couple of central defenders both had injuries," Gombau said, referring to Malik and McKain.
"Yesterday (Thursday), Malik said after training that he felt he cannot play.
"Honestly I am worried.
"At the moment we have Cirio feeling a little bit (sore) in his muscle, McKain, Malik, (Michael) Zullo and Elrich finished the game but he is with problems."
Some banged-up bodies couldn't mask United's delight following a clinical and comprehensive triumph which saw them leapfrog Sydney and the Central Coast Mariners into fourth spot on the A-League table.
Carrusca set up goals to Fabio Ferreira and Cirio before Bruce Djite iced it in the 88th minute with a fine strike after the Blues threatened to conjure a last-ditch draw when experienced substitute Matt Thompson struck in the 75th.
Following a winless fortnight on the road against title contenders Brisbane Roar and the Western Sydney Wanderers, Gombau refused to downplay the significance of Friday’s bounce-back win at the Reds’ Hindmarsh fortress.
"It was so important to get the three points," Gombau said.
"Before today we had four (mini) finals (left); now we have three.
"To win this game at home brings us confidence ... you can go and play away (feeling)
news_articleSat, 22 Mar 2014 00:36:23 +0000Anonymous141590 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comGombau: Busy schedule will benefit WanderersAdelaide coach Josep Gombau believes Western Sydneys hectic schedule with A-League and Asian Champions League commitments could work in their favour.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/gombau-busy-schedule-will-benefit-wanderers
Gombau's honest assessment comes after his Reds side were forced to withstand a late Wanderers barrage to come away from Pirtek Stadium with a 0-0 draw on Saturday night.
In a dour contest played on a heavy track, the Reds created the better chances but had to make do with a point after some wasteful finishing.
With the home side playing their third match in seven days after a midweek trip to China, many were expecting United to finish over the top of the Wanderers.
But if anything it was Adelaide who were forced to hold on at the death and Gombau believes the heavy schedule of matches will actually benefit Western Sydney in the long run.
"When one team is in two competitions, everyone wants to play good to have chances to play," the Reds boss said.
"This is extra motivation for everybody and I don't expect they would be tired at any moment.
"I have this experience because I coached for three years with Kitchee in the AFC Cup and we had to play midweek and weekends.
"In that moment the team did better than before because everyone felt it's important to be in the team and everyone wanted to play."
After a heavy thunderstorm forced kick-off to be delayed by 30 minutes it was the visitors who started the stronger.
Fabio Ferreira wasted a glorious opportunity on 10 minutes when teed-up by Marcelo Carrusca but somehow volleyed high and wide from close range.
It was one of the winger's final contributions as he was forced off soon after with concussion after an off-the-ball incident with Wanderers defender Adam D'Apuzzo.
D'Apuzzo, who had already been booked for an earlier challenge on Ferreira, avoided another caution and stayed on while the Portuguese flyer's match was done.
"It always the player that's injured that has to go off and the player that does the action stays on the field," a miffed Gombau said.
"But this is football and the referee thought it's not a yellow card.
"He (Ferreira) copped an elbow and after that he didn’t know where he was and what happened before and in that moment we took him out of the game.
"He can go and rest at home because he has family here in Sydney and I think it's nothing very difficult for him...but we didn’t want to take a risk."
The result means Adelaide missed the chance to close the gap on the Wanderers but they can continue their push for a top two spot with a home clash against Sydney FC on Friday.
news_articleSat, 15 Mar 2014 22:48:16 +0000Anonymous138413 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comGombau rues wasted chance for AdelaideAdelaide United manager Josep Gombau says his side let an opportunity slip against Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium after they dominated early.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/josep-gombau-rues-wasted-chance-adelaide-united
Brisbane finished 2-1 winners thanks to a Besart Berisha brace, and the Spanish coach said the Reds began to rush their build-up play after the second goal went in.
United were able to disrupt the Roar's possession game for much of the first term, and had 74 per cent of the ball in the 22nd minute when Berisha's first goal went in.
The real turning point came with the Albanian's second strike early in the second half, according to Gombau, when Adelaide began to push too hard for a response.
"I think that in the first half we played better than in the second," Gombau said.
"And I think that what changed, maybe, the way that we played, and made it worse, was the second goal.
"Because when you start to lose 2-0, at that moment you want to arrive to the last (attacking) third faster, because you feel that you don't have time.
"And at that moment you start to play more long balls and you have less possession of the ball and this is a mistake, because in the end we are training to build from the back."
Speaking about the ball which appeared to cross the line from a Thomas Broich long-range shot late in the first half, but was not awarded as a goal, the Adelaide manager pointed out that such decisions tend to even themselves out.
He did, however, endorse the use of goal-line technology in football.
"This is something very difficult," he said.
"Also, I don't know, but the first goal for me, the second pass that made it can be offside, and the referee (gave) one for the other for me.
"If in the normal life we use technology, why not in football?
"This is my opinion, because if it's a goal, it's a goal. Finish
"Because the referee needs to decide in one second, and it's very difficult.
"These things, we need to help, and make the game be more clean."
news_articleSun, 09 Mar 2014 22:20:51 +0000Anonymous135237 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comGombau to stick with hell-for-leather AdelaideJosep Gombau refused to criticise his players and will not temper Adelaide Uniteds all-or-nothing approach despite admitting that mistakes cost his team dearly away to Melbourne Victory on Saturday.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/gombau-stick-hell-leather-adelaide
The Reds produced some excellent football and led twice at AAMI Park, only to concede several soft goals to lose 4-3 and return to South Australia empty-handed.
But don't expect to see the Adelaide coach modifying his high defensive line or instructing players to hoof the ball clear from the back any time soon.
"Normally when you score three goals away, you win," Gombau said.
"But today, we make some mistakes. And from these mistakes, we lose the game. These mistakes come from our style. We want to play from the back, we lose one ball playing from the back and they score.
"With the risky pressing up, this means that our keeper needs to play like a central defender. And we make one mistake like this.
"But in everything (else), in all the other actions - in possession, in style, in the chances we create and the goals that we score, in everything, I am so, so satisfied with my team today.
"Even Barcelona, that is playing with this style, make these kind of mistakes. Because when you play from the back, you take this risk. When the keeper needs to be like a central defender, you take this risk."
Gombau made a point of claiming Kris Griffiths-Jones coped well with the fast pace of the game, despite the referee failing to act on several seemingly legitimate penalty appeals. Numerous yellow cards were also flourished in a feisty game which threatened to spill over on several occasions.
Finally, Gombau said Adelaide must wait to determine the extent of the suspected hamstring problem which forced off key player Marcelo Carrusca in the second half.
news_articleSun, 23 Feb 2014 00:56:25 +0000Anonymous127349 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comGombau: Reds can make most of ACL commitmentsJosep Gombau expects the AFC Champions League to take its toll on Adelaide Uniteds rivals during the run-in to A-League finals.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/gombau-reds-can-make-most-acl-commitments
The Reds, third on the table, face on fourth-placed Melbourne Victory away from home on Saturday evening. Four days later Victory must be in China to play ACL holders Guangzhou Evergrande in their group stage opener.
Western Sydney Wanderers and Central Coast Mariners are also set to juggle the same gruelling sequence of matches, potentially opening the door for Adelaide to capitalise.
"When you play two competitions, (it) is difficult," Gombau said.
"Now they're (at the) start. But when you are playing in the group - I speak with experience, because I played the AFC (Champions League) with Kitchee. And we had three competitions, cup, AFC plus league. And ... you need to start (to) make rotations because (of) so many games. This can happen to them. They start now, and the first game is not like this.
"But ... the teams that are playing the Champions League need to fight to be in the top two in the group, to go to the next round. In that moment you need to start to think a lot."
Gombau does not expect ACL obligations to distract Victory ahead of this weekend's clash at AAMI Park, but believes the effects could be felt by time Adelaide travel to take on the Wanderers in Round 23.
"I think this week (it) won't affect them but in the next games the three teams that are playing AFC Champions League, it will affect them, sure," he said.
"Because you are playing another competition and more games, more pressure. The other competition is so important. And in that moment, as a coach, you need to start to make some rotations.
"Maybe next (month), when we play against Western Sydney, in that moment they are involved in the competition. Two or three games in (it will affect them)."
news_articleFri, 21 Feb 2014 04:54:15 +0000Anonymous126371 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comGombau hails Adelaides best performanceAdelaide United coach Josep Gombau boldly declared the Reds stirring 2-0 triumph over the Central Coast Mariners at Coopers Stadium on Friday night as his sides best this season.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/gombau-hails-adelaides-best-performance
Leapfrogging the Mariners and Melbourne Victory into third spot on the A-League ladder with the result, United dominated from the outset and at times were simply irresistible.
First-half goals to Marcelo Carrusca and Fabio Ferreira proved the difference, the Reds continuing to boss proceedings against a more resolute Mariners outfit after the interval with one of the slickest performances in recent memory.
"For me, this was the best game that we've played," Gombau said.
"We played the (desired) style and also we didn't make mistakes.
"In the past we made mistakes, last week (in beating Sydney FC) we made mistakes.
"We are confident ... you can have so much confidence, but in football you can lose.
"You can never relax.
"I want my players to know that to win is very difficult and they need to work all the week to play a good game."
The win looms as the perfect springboard for white-hot Adelaide, with just one loss from their past 10 starts, to travel to AAMI Park and tackle Victory next Saturday in the hope of avenging their disappointing 3-0 loss to their arch nemesis at Etihad Stadium in November.
That defeat still burns in Gombau's guts.
"For us it (next Saturday) is very important as it's a derby against Victory," he said.
"It's the game where afterwards I was most sad because we lost that game after missing a penalty.
"We need to win that."
Adelaide's eye-catching ball movement and exquisite passing will have been noticed by Melbourne, as was the Reds' inability to fully capitalise on their swag of second-half goal-scoring opportunities, perhaps the only token concern.
"We missed a lot of chances in the second half," Gombau said.
"It's something we need to improve. But in the end, the important thing in football is to create chances and we created.
"If you don't create these chances, you will be worried.
"We need to keep creating and improve in the scoring.
"At that moment, we'll be a better team."
news_articleFri, 14 Feb 2014 22:44:06 +0000Anonymous123271 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comGombau: Red Dawn still to come for Adelaide Adelaide United coach Josep Gombau is pleased with how his side are improving, but says there is still work to be done.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/gombau-red-dawn-still-come-adelaide
Gombau was happy following his team's inspired performance in their 3-0 win over Sydney, but said he would not get too carried away with any one result, win, lose or draw.
"We're happy today for the game that we played," Gombau said.
"We are satisfied, but in the end that's football. Last week at this time I was sad because we lost in Wellington."
Instead, the Spaniard said he would continue to focus on his side's three main objectives.
"We have three objectives in Adelaide," Gombau said.
"The first is to play the best football that we can. Every Saturday or Sunday when we play, we try to play the best that we can.
"The second objective is to work with the young kids and create our players so that one day they play with Adelaide United or we can sell them overseas or to another club in the A-League.
"The third one is that every Sunday when the people come to the stadium, they enjoy.
"With this we are satisfied."
The win over Sydney FC moves the Reds into fifth spot on the ladder, but Gombau said ladder position was not a concern.
"If at the end of one year we are in the finals, perfect. If we are in the top six, perfect.
"If one year we don't make the finals, perfect also because we have these objectives because we know that we cannot compete with the big cities and we cannot compete with the big clubs that can spend money and can bring marquee players and can have a lot of things."
"We are not a big club, Adelaide is not a big city in Australia and we are not spending a lot of money, and our three objectives are very easy.
"We need to create and work with our team and this is all we need to do."
Despite being one of the form sides in the competition, Gombau said the job was far from over.
"We are a team that are starting in a project, just six or seven months.
"The project when I came here in my mind was two years and this is just the first.
"I am happy because we are playing the way we want to play, but we did make mistakes.
"For the time that we have invested we are doing well, I am so happy with the players … but I know inside me that there are a lot of things to improve.
"We made mistakes sometimes in decision making. When we make the pass sometimes it is not the correct pass. We took some risks that we can improve on.
"At the end of the season we will see where we are."
news_articleSun, 09 Feb 2014 01:18:24 +0000Anonymous120109 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comGombau rues penalty, Reds mistakes in Heart drawAdelaide United coach Josep Gombau believes a combination of a dubious penalty infringement and untimely errors from his side forced the Reds to settle for a 2-2 draw with Melbourne Heart at Coopers Stadium on Saturday.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/gombau-rues-penalty-reds-mistakes-draw-heart
The home side frittered away a 1-0 half-time advantage before clawing their way back to snatch a point with Ryan Griffiths' 90th-minute goal.
United conceded two second-half goals in between, with Harry Kewell converting a penalty in the 61st minute after Nigel Boogaard was pinged for his ground-level challenge in the box, and Patrick Kisnorbo getting on the end of a wicked Iain Ramsay free kick in the 79th.
"From my position, what I saw on the TV, I felt this was not a penalty," Gombau said.
"I need to check and see exactly what happened ... (but) in the game it is a penalty because the official gave us a penalty.
"The goals came from our mistakes than from their good action.
"The two goals came from a penalty and a foul.
"Of course, in saying this I don't want to say they (Heart) didn't play well - they did their job."
All things given, Gombau believed the deadlock was a fair result given the Reds' patchy play and Heart's second-half gallantry which belied their last-placed standing on the A-League ladder.
"The result is fair because we didn't have a very good game," Gombau said.
"We didn't find the style that we wanted to play.
"They (Melbourne) made it difficult for us.
"I don't want any excuses for this because in the end we had chances to score more goals."
Veteran Griffiths, signed by the Reds earlier this month following a 22-game stint in China with Beijing Baxy, got on the end of Marcelo Carrusca's crisp corner to stun Heart with the equaliser in the final minute of regulation, having subbed into the contest in the 62nd minute.
Griffith's final-ditch salvo came a fortnight after youngster Jordan Elsey's 92nd-minute match-winner which stunned Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium.
For Gombau, the resolve of his players to keep fighting and be looking to score for the full 90-plus minutes is a pleasing sign, as is the off-the-bench impact of level-headed Griffiths.
"He (Griffiths) is an important player," Gombau said.
"He's an experienced player and can help us a lot and bring a lot of solutions.
"We are using him more every day.
"In the last rounds of the season, he will be an important player for us.
"Until the last minute that the game finishes, the ball is in (live).
"Last week we scored in the third minute (against Western Sydney Wanderers); this time we scored in the 90th.
"Every single minute is important."
news_articleSat, 25 Jan 2014 10:22:05 +0000Anonymous114715 at http://www.fourfourtwo.com